2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 heads for Detroit auto show in January

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The 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 makes its official debut in January at the Detroit auto show, packing 335 hp with an “e-boost” function that enhances acceleration. It arrives in the U.S. market in the spring.

Still, the ActiveHybrid 5 maintains considerable green cred; it can drive under electric power for two and a half miles (at an average speed of 22 mph), and it can reach speeds up to 37 mph on electricity. There is also a coasting mode, which decouples the engine and shuts it off at speeds up to 100 mph.

The BMW ActiveHybrid 3 made a stealthy debut in Munich, Germany. It offically bows in January in Detroit. Photo by Greg Migliore

The lithium-ion battery pack is stored in the trunk; it can be charged during braking or periods of coasting, and the electric 55-hp motor can also add boost during acceleration. It works with a 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder engine, which is the same unit used on the 535i, and an eight-speed transmission.

All of this allows the car to sprint to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, the same time as a rear-wheel-drive 535i. BMW also adds an “Eco Pro” mode to its dynamics choices for the driver, and when switched on, the car runs on electricity as much as possible. The traditional modes of operation—sport, sport plus and two comfort settings—remain.

The hybrid rolls on standard 5-series underpinnings with adjustable damping settings and offers 18-inch alloy wheels. The car is also equipped with auto stop/start. The ActiveHybrid 5 is part of BMW's increasing electric car activities, which include hybrid versions of the 7-series and 3-series. The Active E is a 1-series-based pure electric car available for lease in some markets, and the company is also investing heavily in its Project i, an all-electric venture that will work as another brand in the BMW lineup. So far, it's produced two concepts, the i3 and i8, which will also be on display in Detroit.

BMW's stand will include the next-gen 3-series and the M5, as well.

The ActiveHybrid 3, shown at the reveal of the 3-series in October in Munich, will also be displayed in Detroit. It arrives on the market next fall.

Correction: an earlier version of this story said the ActiveHybrid 5 was revealed in Munich. It was the ActiveHybrid 3.